An Interview with Eric Halstead
Eric brings the weight of lived experience to every story he tells. With nearly two decades of military service – including time in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard – Eric writes with the rare authority of someone who’s been there. His deep understanding of duty, sacrifice, and the moral complexities of life in uniform shapes every page he pens.
After retiring from active service due to medical reasons, Eric turned to writing not just as a creative outlet, but as a mission. His stories are grounded in gritty realism and emotional truth, capturing the honor, tension, and brotherhood that define life in and out of combat. Readers come for the action – but stay for the heart, the humanity, and the unflinching honesty behind each character.
When he’s not crafting page-turning military thrillers, Eric enjoys time with his wife, four daughters, and grandson. Whether he’s out exploring new places or following political developments, he brings a storyteller’s curiosity to everything he does.
His writing isn’t just entertaining – it’s lived-in, powerful, and unforgettable.
What inspired you to start writing this book?
The first book I wrote, The Final Verdict, was a book to help me deal with PTSD and TBI I suffered when I was in the military. After getting a lot of positive feedback and people wanting to know what was next for Shane, I decided I would sit down and tell more of his story.
To me, there is a story to tell about the men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to protect us, and I want to be able to do that.
Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?
Into the dark was a fun one for me. It’s based off a true story that has been changed around for better flow and clarity. It was a very easy write for me and was done before I knew it.
The book itself is based on a couple of college students who decided to go to Columbia during a break from school. They end up being kidnapped, and Shane Alexander and a joint group of CIA and US Military go to rescue them. As with the majority of missions, this one has its twists and turns and setbacks.
Describe your dream book cover.
My dream book cover is the perfect cover for whatever book I’m writing at the moment, but ultimately, I do have one in mind that I’m sort of afraid to go into details about because it’s what I’m envisioning for one of my future books, but I’ll go ahead and give some of it away.
Without saying what location I’m seeing this take place in, it would have that particular city on fire from a terrorist attack and the burning of the Olympic rings toward the top in the foreground. And no, I’m not planning this for the LA Olympics.
If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?
There are so many amazing songs that could be on a soundtrack for this book. I would end the soundtrack with It’s a Great Day to Be Alive and I definitely would throw in How Do You Like Me Now?! by Toby Keith because of everything that Shane has gone through and he was able to get some redemption from the past. When I look at some of the flashbacks that are in the book, I would also include Travelin’ Soldier by The Chicks.
Venturing out of my normal genre of music, I would include Metallica’s One and The Trooper by Iron Maiden.
What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?
Right now, I’m stuck in Dan Brown’s The Secret of Secrets. Not for the research side of things but because to me his writing is some of the best quality I’ve ever seen. I’m amazed at the amount of research he does for all of his books.
My next book will probably be Sojourner: A High Country Frontier Short Story by Josh Jensen. He’s a really talented author that I think more people need to check out. You can tell by reading his books that he puts a lot of time and passion into his work.
About a month ago, I read The Odyssey by Homer with my daughter because she’s a huge fan of mythology.
What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?
The only other profession I’ve had is the military. I served in both the Army and the US Coast Guard and absolutely loved every job I did although I didn’t always like the mission.
As for someone most people don’t know, my outlines take longer to write than my books do. I usually write and add to my outlines at least ten times before I actually start writing the book. By the time I’m done with the outline for a book, fifty to sixty percent of the book is already done. It’s time to fill in the small details and the dialogue. Fortunately, I have a good friend, Mitchell Curry, that I’m able to talk with through the process and bounce some of my crazy ideas off to make sure I’m not going off the deep end too much. The biggest thing about my books that I strive for is authenticity.
Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?
There are a few writers that really influence my writing, people like Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and Dan Brown. I know there are a few others, but those are the ones that come to mind right now.
Where is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write is on the beach somewhere, although I don’t get that chance very often. My most accessible place that I enjoy writing is in my office. I have it themed out the way I want it, with some light background tropical music and peace.
What advice would you give your past self at the start of your writing journey?
Don’t wait so long. You have a story to tell, you need to tell it.
What’s one thing you hope sticks with readers after they finish your book?
The one thing I would want people to take away from my book, and not just this one, but all my books, is sacrifice. Not just the sacrifice that our men and women of the military make every day by being gone from their families, but the sacrifices that are made because of split-second decisions that have to be made.
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